The Coronavirus pandemic and associated measures for the protection of the public have impacted differently on different parts of the population and across different nations. In many areas, COVID-19 has also either exacerbated already existing or created new inequalities in relation to specific parts of the population. Older individuals are one group in society that has been widely impacted, while social isolation/shielding measures have placed them in higher risk of loneliness, isolation, financial deprivation and mental health challenges, to name a few. This commentary reflects on such inequalities across four European nations (the United Kingdom (UK), Republic of Ireland, Finland, Spain) and draws attention to the critical role of Gerontological Social Work (GSW), while emphasizing the ways in which social work can intervene. First, we identify common concerns for the rights of older people that span across all four nations and second, we identify significant roles for GSW practitioners at the individual, community and policy levels and conclude with a call for GSW in these four nations to be reimagined in a time of global crisis.
The increased involvement of adults at risk in the safeguarding process has become a prominent issue within English safeguarding policy. However, there is evidence to suggest that actual levels of involvement are still low. This paper presents findings from a PhD study in relation to the benefits of advocacy in supporting this involvement in adult safeguarding for older people. Methodology: Participants in the study included advocates and social workers who had experience of working with older people through the safeguarding process within two North East England local authorities. A critical realist approach through in-depth interviews was taken with all the participants.
As a result of a changing legal and policy context, statutory social work with adults in the UK has undergone a series of radical reforms. Underpinning these changes has been an ideological shift in the way adult social care should be provided. A clear 'direction' including a focus on autonomy, self-determination and personal responsibility is being promoted. These represent changes for both social workers and people receiving services. However, it has been suggested that policy may not fully acknowledge the factors that may undermine the ability of some individuals to take control of and manage their own needs. This paper draws on findings from two research projects, undertaken with social work practitioners located in statutory adult social care teams in the North East of England. The first explored the involvement of older people in adult safeguarding and the second considered capacity assessments and best interest decision-making by social workers under the Mental Capacity Act (2005). This paper presents key findings regarding how social workers attempt to reconcile the gap between the profile of the service user in policy and the reality of the people that social workers are supporting in practice. Key recommendations for policy, practice, and further research are also discussed.
Purpose
The landscape of adult social care, and in particular of adult safeguarding, has shifted considerably over the last decade. Alongside policy changes in the responses to adult abuse, there have been shifts in professional and public understanding of what falls within the remit of this area of work. This results, arguably, in differing understandings of how adult safeguarding is constructed and understood. Given the increasing emphasis on multi-agency inter-professional collaboration, service user involvement and lay advocacy, it is important to consider and reflect on how both professionals and lay people understand this area of work. The paper aims to discuss these issues.
Design/methodology/approach
This study employed Augusto Boal’s model of Forum Theatre to explore how a variety of professional and lay groups understood, related to and engaged with how the Care Act 2014 defines and describes “adult safeguarding”.
Findings
Lay participants responded to the scenario in a variety of ways, upholding the construct validity of “adult safeguarding” and the authority of the social worker. Social care and health practitioners sought orderly, professionalised and sometimes ritualistic solutions to the “adult safeguarding” scenario presented, seeking carefully to structure and to manage lay involvement. Inter-professional collaboration was often problematic. The role of lay advocates was regarded ambiguously and ambivalently.
Originality/value
This paper offers a number of practice and research recommendations. Safeguarding practitioners could benefit from more effective and reflexive inter-professional collaboration. Both practitioners and service users could benefit from the more thoughtful deployment of the lay advocates encouraged within the Care Act 2014 and associated guidance.
This article discusses the development of a co-produced research proposal. The authors reflect on the process of this work and some of the challenges that were experienced by a team who had a mix of lived, clinical and academic experience of the research topic. We highlight the need to embed trauma informed principles into co-produced research and the ways in which doing so can support the development of co-produced work. As such, the article focuses on how we established safety, choice, collaboration, trustworthiness and empowerment during the process of developing the proposal. Within this we offer our reflection on some of the challenges we experienced and our learning from undertaking this work.
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